Intelligent sensing and wireless communications in harsh environments

The objective of this paper is to focus on recent efforts to test and characterize the performance of MEMS inertial sensors and the characterization of battery-free embedded sensors in munitions. This paper will also discuss the need to implement and integrate internal wireless communications in conjunction with smart electronics and smart materials in innovative microelectronics designs with built in capability of duplex wireless communications between sensors and telemetry. Embedded wireless telemetry will eliminate wires and the stress on long wire runs between MEMS sensors and processing microelectronics in harsh environments. Further advancements in this wireless area will facilitate the integration of smart sensing, control and actuation with unprecedented capability to permanently embed telemetry as a part of the standard munition components. The embedded wireless telemetry would have built in capability for smart munitions stockpile surveillance, in-flight duplex communication and the capability to communicate to a ground station. Future telemetry links for munitions will have a significant multi-use capability, designed to measure, maintain reliability, predictive surveillance, actuation and remote control functionality.